Solved: Difficulties setting up a home network

Hi, I have two pc's connected by ethernet cables to a 2wire 2700hgv router.

No1 pc runs win2K pro sp4 and has a zone alarm firewall.
No2 runs xp pro sp2 etc behind the windows firewall.
I have a printer (HP840c - 6 years old) on No1 pc which i want to use from No2 pc as well as being able to share file etc between pc's.

No1 pc doesn't seem to locate No2 pc in my network places and visa versa. I did create a network disc from No2 pc but understand this won't work with win2K.

I think the following will work, but still looking for somebody to test it out and confirm. It sounds like you've already set up the XP machine using the Wizard.

The following will set up a Microsoft Workgroup for File and Printer Sharing assuming the PCs are already networked via router, ad-hoc wireless or Ethernet (directly or using switch or hub).

In Network and Dial-up Connections (Win 2k Pro) or Network Connections (XP) right click on your connection and select &#8216;Properties.&#8217; If not already there, install or add a check mark for &#8220;Client for Microsoft Networks, &#8220;File and Printer sharing &#8230;&#8221; and &#8220;Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).&#8221;

Right click on My Computer and on the Computer Name tab make sure you have a unique computer name and the workgroup name that you want to use for all computers. Change if necessary.

Restart the PC.

You must uninstall or properly configure any 3rd party firewalls on each machine.

If using the XP SP2 firewall: Control Panel &#8211; Windows Firewall &#8211; on the General tab it should be &#8220;On&#8221; and on the Exceptions tab &#8220;File and Printer Sharing&#8221; should be selected.

The Shared Documents folder is automatically shared. Any other folders or printers you want to share, just right click on them and sharing ... . When sharing a printer, accept the offer to load other drivers if your other PCs have different Operating System(s).

When you first go into My Network Places there will be nothing there. The first time you click on 'View Workgroup computers' will probably result in great disappointment. It takes awhile (20 minutes or so) before all the computers in the workgroup get up-to-date and accurate lists of the other computers. Often you can speed up this process via Search for other computers.

When computers show up in My Network Places, double click on one to see its shares. If that includes a printer, you can right click on the printer to connect to it.

If you know each computer's name, type \\compname into the address bar of Windows Explorer and hit enter (where "compname" is the name of the computer you want to access). This is the (more direct) equivalent of clicking on My Network Places and clicking on the computer.

To find the computer's name, right-click on My Computer and go to Properties. I think in Win2k the tab is "Network Identification". On WinXP, the tab is "Computer Name". Read off the "Full computer name".

If this doesn't work, then there are other problems with the network that need addressing (possible firewall issues, networking errors etc).

On the "Firewall" tab of ZoneAlarm, you can configure which security settings are attached to your Trusted and Internet zones. If you use the router to connect to the Internet, I would personally recommend keeping the "High" setting on the Internet Zone and creating a Trusted IP Range for your other computer. Once this is done, set the security setting on the Trusted Zone to "Medium". Make sure that the setting for your network card isn't on the Trusted Zone and that just the IP Range has Trusted access.

Hi TerryNet,
I am having the same problem, but with 2, XP machines. tried the \\IPofOther,
and received "The Network Path was not found", but I can ping from the laptop to the desktop, with no packets lost. The desktop, can see the laptop, but the the laptop, can "NOT" see the desktop.